Three teenagers were arrested and two “people” are still on the run after police stopped their stolen car using tyre spikes, NT Police said, while two teens and a 12-year-old were arrested and returned to “responsible adults” after also being stopped in a stolen car after two sets of tyre spikes were deployed.

The NT News reported southern watch commander Robert Griffiths said a blue Ford Everest was stolen from a Gillen home in Alice Springs about 2.45am on Wednesday. And that police used a drone to track it, and tyre spikes to stop it.

“At about 3.30am this morning, the vehicle’s movements were monitored whereupon the vehicle was dumped on Ida St, Gillen,” the NT News reported Sergeant Griffiths said.

Officers arrested a 14-year-old, and two 15-year olds, and the paper said police “believed two more people remained outstanding”.

Sgt Griffiths said a 12-year-old boy and two 13-year-old boys stole a Toyota Land Cruiser troop carrier from a Hartley St, Alice Springs business at 5.10pm Monday, with the vehicle tracked driving to the north of the town by police using GPS.

“The vehicle returned to the Alice Springs CBD and a short pursuit was engaged at low speed with initial compliance with the traffic rules,” he said.

Sgt Griffiths said police used tyre spikes but the driver continued travelling with one of the wheels on its rim, and avoided another set of tyre spikes, before getting stuck on a concrete median strip.

The NT News reported Sgt Griffiths said the boys were arrested and returned to the care of a “responsible adult”.